Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday warmly welcomed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks on India-U.S. relations, describing the partnership as “very positive and forward-looking, reported by Press Trust of India.”
In a post on X, Modi said he “deeply appreciated” Trump’s sentiments, adding that India “fully reciprocates” Washington’s outlook on a Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership.
His comments came soon after Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, characterized ties with New Delhi as “special,” even as he voiced sharp criticism over India’s high tariffs and continued purchases of Russian crude.
“I’ll always be friends with Prime Minister Modi,” Trump said. “He’s a great leader. But I don’t like what he’s doing at this particular moment. India and the United States have a special relationship… we just have moments on occasion.”
Trump went on to express “very big disappointment” over India’s oil trade with Moscow, claiming Washington had imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods in response. He also alluded to broader geopolitical unease, recently suggesting on Truth Social that India and Russia were drifting closer to China—posting an old photo of Modi with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
Trade negotiations, Trump said, were “going great,” though he repeated his unhappiness with India’s tariff regime.
Senior members of his team echoed the criticism. Peter Navarro, Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, wrote on X that India’s tariffs “cost U.S. jobs” and accused New Delhi of fueling “Russia’s war machine” through oil imports—charges India has firmly denied.
Despite the sharp words, Modi struck an optimistic note, underscoring that India and the United States remain bound by what he called a forward-looking partnership, resilient enough to withstand “moments on occasion.”
